Centuries
by JLWinter
Summary: A series of one-shots focusing on moments in the Cullens' lives
1. Chapter 1 Sketches

**This is the first chapter of my series of one-shots that focus on moments in the lives of the Cullens'. I'm posting the first one today, but I'll probably be updating every Firday, unless I'm away for the weekend. So...enjoy.**

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, Stephenie Meyer does.

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><p>1925<p>

Esme's POV

She watched from the backdoor as the rain began to fall, the clouds finally unable to hold its weight as the water poured to the ground. There was a rumble of thunder in the distance, the wind blowing violently against the trees.

She heard the front door open as Edward stepped inside, running his fingers through his hair to discard the droplets.

"It's really coming down out there," he announced, shedding his jacket as he strolled over to where Esme stood. She was glad that Edward was home, but part of her wished that it had been Carlisle who had walked in. "Ouch." Edward chuckled as he read her thoughts.

She turned to him, smiling apologetically. "Sorry."

"I know you worry about him," he sighed. "But you have to remember that he _is _a vampire. A little storm won't hurt him."

"I suppose..." she trailed off, turning her attention back to the falling rain. "When does his shift end?"

Edward shrugged, striding out of the room. Soon enough, the music from his piano drifted throughout the house. Esme felt herself being drawn to the room, strolling gracefully into the music room and sitting down beside Edward on the bench. She watched as his fingers flowed effortlessly across the keys. He looked almost hypnotized as he played. For him, music was obviously his greatest comfort and the best stress reliever.

To Esme's surprise, Carlisle stepped through the door only a few minutes later, running his hand through his hair to discard the rain drops as his son had done earlier. She smiled to herself – some of Edward's mannerisms seemed to be rubbing off on Carlisle just like some of his were rubbing off on Edward.

He sighed as he slipped out of his coat, his face weary, only to brighten as Esme came into view.

"How was your day?" She asked as she reached up to kiss him.

"Tiring, even for me," he smiled slightly. "Slow for the most part. I assume that you had more fun at home than I did today."

Edward cleared his throat as he came around the corner.

"Good evening, son." Carlisle greeted him. Edward bowed his head, smiling.

"I think both of you had an equally boring day," Edward smirked before looking out the window. "And it looks like it'll be an equally boring night as well, thanks to the rain."

"Is anything ever boring in this house?" Esme asked lightly, causing all of them to chuckle.

"I suppose with a house of vampires, nothing is ever dull." Edward laughed slightly.

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><p>Later that night, all three of them found themselves in Carlisle's study, sitting around the fireplace. Edward lounged on the ground, his head resting against a few pillows as he flipped through a book absently. Carlisle was bent over his paperwork, while Esme drew in her sketchbook.<p>

She looked up every so often to glance at Carlisle quickly before returning her attention to the sketch of him. She was worried that he had caught on, but he seemed to be absorbed in his paperwork. Edward met her gaze for a split second, chuckling to himself.

There was another flash of lightening, and then the power went out, the fire being the only source of light left in the room. Edward had sat up in a flash, looking surprised for a moment. Esme laughed quietly at his reaction while Carlisle sighed and got up, striding over to his desk to pull out a box of matches from one of the drawers.

He went around the room, lighting every candle before seating himself once again in his place on the couch. Edward shivered visibly.

"Don't you think those make it seem a little eerie?" Edward asked, pointing to one of the candles.

Carlisle's brow furrowed and he opened his mouth as if to argue, but decided against it. Edward seemed to only be teasing as a smile spread across his lips.

"I think they're lovely." Esme said, closing her sketchbook to sit beside Carlisle. He leaned away from his work, relaxing as he wrapped his arm around Esme's shoulders.

"Thank you, love." He smiled, kissing her forehead. Edward sighed, turning his attention back to his book. Esme shot him a look of apology. She knew it was awkward enough for him to see them like that without hearing their thoughts.

Carlisle's gaze wondered around the room, finally resting on Esme's sketchbook. He half-smiled, reaching around her to grab the book from the side table.

"May I?" He asked, about to open the first page. Esme shook her head timidly. She knew that if she were still human, she would be blushing. "Why not?" He pressed, a smile drifting across his lips.

"They're not that good." She said shyly.

"Everything you do is perfect." He said quietly, looking into her eyes. She couldn't win against him when he looked at her that way, his golden eyes smoldering as they made her lose her train of thought.

She sighed. "Go ahead."

She watched as he flipped through the different drawings – flowers, the house, the forest, Edward's piano...

Only when he flipped to the sketch of him did she tense. Of course, it wasn't the first time she had drawn him. There were other books that she owned that were filled with drawings of him.

Her heart seemed to break as he laughed slightly in surprise.

"What is it?" She asked worriedly, looking over the drawing.

"No, the drawing is the amazing." He said quickly, reassuring her. "It's just... is that what I look like when I'm working?" He asked in disbelief.

Edward chuckled, seeing the picture in their thoughts. "Yes, that's exactly what you look like."

"But I look so..." He trailed off unable to find the words. Esme had a few in mind – _handsome, perfect, gorgeous..._

Edward threw a frown in her direction before speaking. "Serious?" He suggested, finishing Carlisle's sentence. "You do spend quite a lot of time at the hospital."

"Apparently," he said quietly, nodding absently as he stared at the picture. "But I look more stressed than serious... Maybe I should try and cut down on my hours; I don't like leaving you home by yoursleves either..." He set down the book, standing up.

"Oh Carlisle, you don't have to do that. We're fine on our own." She tried to reassure him, standing as well. He looked as if he wasn't buying it. "You don't have to do that." She said again.

"Yes," he leaned down to kiss her forehead. "I do."

Just then, the power came back on, the storm retreating slowly, the rain letting up slightly. Edward rose, putting his book back in its place before striding to the door.

He turned slightly, smirking at Esme. "Yes, he does." He paused for a moment, his hand rubbing the back of his neck. "I've already had one father who barely had time for me, I don't want another." He sighed before excusing himself.

Esme turned to Carlisle. "What does he mean?" She asked.

Carlisle sighed, his eyebrows furrowed. "Edward's biological father wasn't around very often; he was always busy with work."

"Then you should take more time off," she agreed, "For Edward."

"For Edward," He repeated with a smile.

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><p><strong>Maybe in future chapters I'll go more into Edward's thoughts about his human life. But anyways...Hope you enjoyed!<strong>


	2. Chapter 2 Cruisin' For a Bruisin'

**Since school starts on Tuesday, I thought this would only be appropriate. I know it's not the best thing I've ever written, but imagining this amuses me. And I think part of this was bound to happen sooner or later, I mean, I'm pretty sure Emmett would fly off the handle at school at one point or another...oops, I'm revealing too much :)**

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><p>1958<p>

Jasper's POV

They had spent nearly a decade trying to convince him that he should join them at school. His thirst had decreased greatly and he found that he could go into town for a short period of time, but he was still worried that being in a confined space with hundreds of humans would be too much for him to handle.

They had just moved during the summer, and the school year was approaching fast. Alice seemed to try and convince him more and more each day as September loomed over them. Finally about a week before classes began, Jasper gave in and agreed to join the others at school.

He and Alice spent more time in town, preparing for the first day, and Jasper began to feel a bit smug when he could finally spent the entire day walking through town, passing humans almost effortlessly with Alice. His confidence had shot up and he was almost as excited as his siblings.

Jasper stepped through the back door the morning of the first day, having spent most of the night hunting to help his control. He ran up the stairs and into the room that he shared with Alice. She was standing in front of the large mirror when he entered. He chuckled slightly and shook his head; fashion had definitely changed over the years.

He quickly changed into the clothes that she had picked out for him and joined her beside the mirror, looking at his reflection. He smiled as he looked into his golden eyes feeling proud of himself for having committed to this lifestyle.

"Are you ready for your first day of high school?" Alice asked excitedly, turning to him.

"Yes," he smiled. "I'm surprised you are, you've already learned everything from the last time you went to school which was, oh, last year."

She giggled. "There's always room for improvement." She tapped his nose lightly before leading him out of the room.

Jasper laughed as he saw Emmett combing his hair back in the hallway, looking into the small mirror that hung on the wall. He was wearing a leather jacket with black jeans and a black t-shirt. His hair had an impressive amount of hair gel in it.

"Morning, greaser," Jasper chuckled as he passed his brother.

"Hey, how odd would it be for a guy like me to be dressed like you?" Emmett asked. "We have to stay inconspicuous, y'know." He smiled, patting Jasper's shoulder.

Carlisle and Esme stepped out of the living room and into the hallway where the others were.

"Emmett, are you really going to wear that?" Carlisle asked wearily.

"Yes, yes I am." He grinned. Rosalie ran down the stairs then, coming to stand beside Emmett.

"Well I like it." She smiled up at him before Emmett put his arm around her shoulder, walking towards the front door.

"See you at school." Emmett called over his shoulder before stepping outside.

Carlisle sighed, shaking his head.

"Oh come on, like you didn't have weird style throughout your life." Edward smirked, walking down the stairs and straightening his tie.

"Yeah, like what was up with those puffy shirts." Alice laughed. "I'm sure you can let it slide for however long this fad lasts."

"I suppose..." Carlisle said absently as he gazed down at Esme who was giggling, obviously trying to imagine her husband in the attire of the 1600's.

"All right," Edward announced. "I think it's time to go."

"Ready?" Alice looked up at Jasper. He nodded, suddenly feeling a lot less confident.

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><p>He took a deep breath before walking through the front doors – partly to calm the nerves and partly because he was preparing to hold his breath if the scent became too painful.<p>

Alice squeezed his hand reassuringly as they walked to their first class.

Everyone seemed to be staring at them as they made their way through the halls. It was a bit uncomfortable, but what was expected. Jasper found that it wasn't that hard to ignore, especially with the fiery burn in his throat that was all he could think about.

He tried to focus on Alice beside him, but the burn never went away, especially with the growing number of students entering the school.

Alice quickly led him into the classroom where they were one of the first people in the room. He quickly sat down at a table beside an open window, breathing in the fresh air as if he needed it like a drug.

"You're all right." Alice said soothingly, rubbing his arm. "You won't hurt anyone. I can see you making it through the day."

"Ugh," he pushed his fingers through his hair. "I don't know how you can do this."

"Jazz, you're doing great, trust me." She smiled and kissed him quickly before the bell rang.

_I can do this, _He thought over and over again, only half paying attention to what the teacher was saying.

The morning passed quicker than he expected, and soon they made their way outside to the courtyard, carrying their tray of food. Jasper gave a look of disgust as he stared down at what was on his tray. Edward laughed as he caught up with them; Emmett and Rosalie were already sitting at one of the tables under the shade of a large tree.

"I can't believe I'm actually doing this." Jasper smiled as he sat down at the table.

"Trust me, we can't believe it either." Emmett said, rolling his eyes.

His smile faded as he looked down at the food. Edward sighed.

"No, we don't actually have to eat it." He answered quietly. "But at least try to look like you enjoy it."

"I don't know how any of you can, it smells disgusting." Jasper frowned, speaking a bit too loud.

"Well, that's cafeteria food for you," A boy who looked to be in his senior year chuckled, sitting down beside Rosalie. Emmett tensed as he watched the boy in his peripheral vision. Jasper sent out waves of calmness, though Emmett's eyes flickered to meet his ungratefully. Apparently, Emmett didn't want to be calmed at the moment.

The boy was dressed like Emmett, only he looked as if he wore the same thing every day, his hair looked sopping wet with the amount of gel in it.

"Speaking of food," He said quietly to Rosalie. "How about you and me go out tonight?"

Emmett was out of his seat and picking the boy up by the collar of his jacket in record time, pinning him against the wall.

"You're cruisin' for a bruisin', buddy." Emmett threatened.

"Hey, hey, cool it." He tried to pry Emmett's hands off his jacket, but it was no use.

Jasper got up and put his hand on Emmett's shoulder, trying desperately to calm the situation.

"Knock it off, Jasper." Emmett let go of the boy briefly to shove Jasper away, knocking him to the ground.

"All right, all right, everyone calm down." The principal made his way over to where they were. Jasper got up quickly, dusting himself off. "Everyone, my office."

"Everyone?" Rosalie questioned. "I didn't do anything."

"I need to hear what happened from everyone." He led the way through the halls and into the office.

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><p>About an hour and a half and six stories later, the principal finally left the office with the boy whose father was there to bring him home. The rest of them waited for Carlisle in silence, not really believing that all of them had just gotten in trouble. So much for keeping inconspicuous.<p>

Edward chuckled to himself, and they knew that Carlisle had arrived.

"What?" Jasper asked, imagining what everyone thought of their father.

"He just stopped at one classroom to ask where the office was, and every girl, including the teacher, stopped and stared." Edward sighed and shook his head. "You just had to act human and ask for directions."

"Yes, I did." Carlisle walked into the room then. "What on earth did you _do_?" He asked. "It's only the _first day._"

Emmett shrugged, standing up. "Some greaser asked out Rosalie and I thought I'd give him a few punches."

"Emmett, please tell me you didn't." Carlisle pinched the bridge of his nose and spoke between clenched teeth.

"No, I didn't have enough time. Besides, Jasper calmed everyone before it got out of hand." Emmett threw his brother a glance. "At least he's good for something."

Carlisle looked at his newest son gratefully. "Thank you, Jasper."

Jasper nodded and stood. "I think we should get going... you know, before too many people are in the hall." He shuddered inwardly as he remembered the burn in his throat, hoping that the next day would be easier.

Carlisle nodded. "Right...and all of you are grounded. Just wait until your mother finds out about this."

Emmett cringed. "I should probably think about that the next time."

"The next time?" Jasper asked. "You really need to try and control that anger."

"Hey, I wouldn't have to manage my anger if people would manage their stupidity."

Jasper shook his head. "I think this day was more eventful than any other day I've lived through in the past decade."

Emmett grinned as they followed everyone out of the office, ruffling Jasper's hair. "Welcome to high school, bro."

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><p><strong>Haha, Emmett as a greaser. I can imagine it almost too well... :) I hoped you enjoyed!<strong>


	3. Chapter 3 The Interlopers

**Happy Friday everyone! Sorry if I kept you waiting for too long. It was my first week back at school and I've been busy with homework and all that jazz. I came up with a bit of this during English today thanks to the short stories that we have to read... So anyways, enjoy!**

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><p><strong>Chapter Three- The Interlopers<strong>

1936

Carlisle's POV

His first week at the hospital had been stressful. Since they had moved to such a small town, there was only a limited amount of doctors which meant that Carlisle had to work as much as possible, leaving him feeling as if he was abandoning his family for the humans that needed his care.

Finally on Friday night, Edward was able to convince him to stay home and go hunting with the rest of them. He had just been on his way out when Edward had caught his arm.

"Carlisle," he said calmly, taking his arm. Carlisle stopped what he was doing, having been in a flustered state as he prepared to leave for the hospital yet again. Edward's brow was furrowed as he looked at the ground. "I know you hate leaving your patients, but I think you should stay home tonight...for Esme's sake." He added. They looked over at where Esme sat by the window in the living room, her paintbrush moving rapidly across the canvas.

When Carlisle stopped for a second and thought about how his schedule was affecting his family, he couldn't help but feel guilty. He loved his job and would never dream of doing anything else, but his family was more important to him, especially when they seemed to be feeling a little left behind.

"I suppose I could call in and tell them I've fallen ill..." Carlisle said absently as he watched his wife.

"We're all going hunting later." Edward said before running up the stairs. A few seconds later, he heard the door to Edward's room close.

He sighed, placing his bag on the floor and untying the scarf around his neck before shrugging out of his coat and hanging it up in the hall closet. First things first – he needed to call the hospital.

He hurried along his explanation over the phone, only half listening to the doctor's wishes that he get well as soon as possible, telling him that it was probably just because of the stress he was under being in a new hospital and all. Carlisle thanked him quickly before hanging up, drifting into the living room.

"So you've decided to put your family first tonight." Esme said from her place in front of the canvas.

"Esme, darling, I'm terribly sorry, please forgive-" he stopped when he saw her expression. It was clear that she had only been teasing. She smirked as a relieved smile spread across his lips. He moved to stand behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and whispering in her ear. "You mustn't tease me like that, dear."

She turned in his arms, smiling up at him. "Well, you must stop falling for it, my love." She reached up and kissed him lightly.

Someone cleared their throat, and they both turned to see Edward standing in the doorway.

"It's later." He said.

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><p>The hunt was always exhilarating – the way they ran like their lives depended on it, the way they let their humanity slip away as their instincts took over, making it easier for them to tackle their prey to the ground.<p>

For Carlisle, letting his instincts take over was always terrifying. He kept up a human charade for so many hours of the day that he always believed that it would be difficult to succumb to acting like the vampire that he should have been – fierce and terrifying and dangerous – but it was always easy if he just let himself fall victim to his instincts.

They ran away from the small town of Forks, Washington – the town that they had called home for a little over a week – and ventured into the little village of La Push. The game would be more plentiful as the trees grew closer together.

Emmett and Rosalie ran ahead, tackling down a few deer before plunging their teeth into the animal's flesh, quenching their thirst. For Emmett, deer was something that he fed on to prepare himself for the bigger animals – he was always happy when he came across a grizzly, feeling as though it was some form of revenge on the bear that had ended his human life.

The rest of them ran past Emmett and Rosalie, venturing further into La Push, though not enough to be seen by the residents.

Carlisle caught the scent of another herd of deer, and began running in their direction, only to discover a few moments later that Esme was not with him. He stopped suddenly and Edward flew past him, wheeling around to stand by his side.

"What?" He asked his father.

"Where's Esme?"

"She said she smelled something odd...like an animal that didn't smell appetizing or something." Edward rubbed the back of his neck. "She went to go see what it was."

Carlisle sighed and began running back in the direction he had come, following Esme's scent. His wife had always been very curious, especially in her first few months as a vampire. She was always eager to gain knowledge on everything that confused or troubled her.

He caught sight of her standing on the border of the forest and the beach, staring out across the ocean.

"Edward said you thought something was odd...what is it, love?" He asked. She turned to him, her expression was confused.

"There are animals nearby, but they smell...awful." She frowned.

"Well, where are they?" He asked gently. They took off running, Esme leading him through the forest. As they ran, the scent became stronger, and Carlisle felt the urge to cover his nose as he breathed in the awful scent that Esme spoke off.

Esme looked back at him, and he smiled, looking into her eyes, taking his eyes off of where he was going for one eighth of a second. When he turned his attention back to what was in front of him, he saw a large wolf charging right at Esme.

"Look out!" He shouted, launching himself into the air, bringing them both to the ground. He covered her with his body, shielding her from the animal that hurtled at them at full speed.

Esme trembled beneath him as he looked up and into the black eyes of the wolf. It was a huge creature that looked to be about the size of a horse with large and dangerously sharp teeth. Its snout was only inches from his face. He gulped, but didn't move in fear that Esme would be harmed.

"We come in peace." Carlisle said sincerely, hoping that the strange animal understood. Its eyes were strangely human-like.

"Carlisle? Esme?" Edward called from behind, Emmett and Rosalie following him through the bush.

"O-Over here!" He shouted back, stuttering.

His three children stopped suddenly when they caught sight of the wolf. Carlisle looked around it to see that two other large wolves were stalking towards them.

"They're human." Edward said in disbelief. "They're part of the Quileute tribe – shape shifters."

"We're not here to hurt anyone." Carlisle spoke to the wolf in front who looked to be the leader. Its eyes narrowed. "Please, just allow me to explain."

The wolf paused for a moment before taking a few steps back. Carlisle got up quickly and pulled Esme behind him. She held onto his arm nervously.

"Can they understand us?" Carlisle asked Edward.

"A bit," He answered, frowning at the wolves.

"I promise, we mean no harm." Carlisle turned back to the wolves, extending his hands to show that he had no weapons, though he could easily kill them with his bare hands.

The wolves turned and ran back into the forest, disappearing.

"Where are they going?" Esme asked.

"They need to shift back into human form." Edward explained, and then sounded slightly amused. "Apparently, they trust us enough, thanks to Carlisle."

Three men stepped out from the bush, standing in front of the Cullens.

"Cold ones are not allowed on our land." The man who stood in front spoke.

"My most sincere apologies, I did not know that there were boundaries for us here." Carlisle apologized.

"Do the pale faces know that there are blood drinkers around?" Another man asked the leader.

"No, but we should tell them."

"Please, we need to keep a low profile to be inconspicuous, do you understand?" Carlisle asked. "We'll leave immediately."

"And what if you decide that you can try to fool us by returning?" The leader asked.

"All right, let's form a treaty, then." Carlisle suggested.

"Aw come on, all the good animals are here." Emmett complained under his breath, too low for the Quileute's to hear.

"We promise that we will not harm any members of your tribe and remain off your land if you keep our secret and refrain from attacking us."

"We accept." The leader said. The Cullens relaxed a little. "But only if you promise that you will not bite any humans in the area, either."

"We promise." Carlisle said quickly, holding out his hand. "I'm Carlisle Cullen."

The leader shook Carlisle's hand, a sign that the treaty had been made and it now could not be broken. "Ephraim Black." He introduced himself in a cold tone.

"We'll be leaving, now." Carlisle said to the men and his family. "And I promise, you won't see us again." He turned to his family and lowered his voice. "Let's go."

He let Esme run in front of him so he could make sure that she was safe at all times. Emmett took up the rear, his extra strength would come in handy if the wolves decided to go back on their word all ready and attack them.

It seemed as though the land that was part of La Push had stretched in the past few minutes, making the run longer. Carlisle was impatient as it seemed to take more time to leave the land, prolonging the moment where they felt like intruders – like interlopers.

When they had crossed the border back into Forks, he looked back. He would make sure that no one would intrude upon their land, for he did not want to lose a member of his family because of a breach in the treaty.

"Don't worry, Carlisle," Edward reassured. "I'm pretty sure that there's no need for us to bite anyone...especially _here._ Forks is too small for anything exciting like that to happen."

"Either way, I'll be sure to keep my word." Carlisle said, keeping a close eye on Esme.

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><p><strong>Ooooh, a bit of foreshadowing there ;) Reviews are always appreciated, and I love to hear your comments, all of which have made my days in the past few weeks more enjoyable :D <strong>


	4. Chapter 4 Anger

**Hey guys, sorry for being a day late. I've been really busy lately and I couldn't find time to publish last night so...yeah. Here is Edward as a newborn. My apologies if it is not up to par, I kind of just threw this together.**

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><p>1918<p>

Edward's POV

He had been a vampire for a little over a week, his thirst finally having decreased to the point where he could think straight. It was usually in those moments where anger ruled his emotions and furniture crashed into various walls after aiming for his creators head.

He had known Doctor Cullen well while he had been bed ridden at the hospital due to the influenza, and had even considered him a friend, until he had woken to this new life, having been told that he had been transformed into a bloodsucking demon, damned to hell without a second thought.

He had slipped once already, the guilt only seeping through him after he realized what he had done. It wasn't easy committing himself to the lifestyle that the Doctor had convinced him of, but it was better than acting like the monster that he now was.

He missed his parents terribly, even if they were gone, but he found that he could distract himself easily – whether it be reading or practicing pieces on the old piano that he found in one of the rooms in his new house.

He couldn't bring himself to call the house a home yet. Home was where loved ones looked after you; where laughter filled the halls and you enjoyed your time...this was not a home. Though Doctor Cullen was an extremely kind and compassionate man, Edward could not think of himself enjoying his time...and time would go on for ever...

He shuttered as he thought about how much time he had to live – eternity. His fingers froze on the keys, the song he had been playing coming to an abrupt halt.

_Why did he stop playing? That was such a lovely song. _Doctor Cullen thought from a few rooms away. Though his new gift had some advantages, sometimes he could do without having to hear every single thought that crossed through someone's mind.

Edward's eyes wandered around the room, and he caught his reflection in the small mirror that hung on the wall to his left. He sighed angrily as he saw his crimson eyes, throwing his pencil at the glass. His strength had sent the pencil soaring like a bullet, and the mirror shattered onto the floor.

_There's seven years of my eternity gone to bad luck. _He thought grimly, getting up to clean up the pieces.

Doctor Cullen was at the entrance in a flash.

"What happened?" He asked patiently.

"I can't stand to see myself." Edward replied angrily, crushing one of the shards into dust. "The eyes..." He trailed off, shaking his head.

_The eyes will soon change colour if you keep to your current diet of animal blood. _Doctor Cullen reassured.

"Carlisle, I'm not sure how much more I can take." He dropped the pieces into the small garbage pail in the corner before brushing his hands against his trousers.

Carlisle's thoughts were full of apologies, his eyes glowing with guilt.

"Just go." Edward said with a wave of his hand.

Carlisle's expression became pained. "I'm going back to the hospital tonight; will you be all right by yourself?"

"Yes," Suddenly, Edward found it rather hard to control his anger. He clenched his hands into fists. "Besides my mother, I'm usually alone anyway."A murky memory came back to him suddenly. He remembered that it had usually just been him and his mother at home since his father was a successful lawyer; he had usually been away...

"Is there something you would like to talk about?" Carlisle asked. "I don't have to go in tonight."

"Just go." He replied quiet yet bitter.

_Edward? _

Edward launched a chair at Carlisle's head, but it crashed against the wall, Carlisle now standing on the other side of the room.

"I will be back at six tomorrow morning," Carlisle said quickly before ducking out of the room.

Edward stood there for the longest time, his hands clenched in fists, his teeth clenched together as if trying to hold back a snarl. Eventually, he relaxed and hung his head, plopping down on the piano bench.

"Why is it so hard to control myself?" He asked himself, his head in his hands. "Will it be like this forever?"

Of course it wouldn't. Carlisle was able to work amongst humans, he could handle it. He had seen in Carlisle's thoughts, too, that there were others out there that could resist, though he was the only one of their kind who had ceased feeding on humans all together.

It wasn't fair to Carlisle either. Though he hated what he had turned him into, Carlisle was a good man and had only the best intentions, Edward shouldn't have been angry with him about his own relationship with his biological father either.

He drowned his sorrows in his music, playing melancholy and depressed pieces. He needed this time alone to suffer, and once Carlisle returned from the hospital, then Edward would be strong and keep his sorrows to himself. He wouldn't lose his temper and he would act civilized, no matter how uncivilized he was meant to be.

He finished the final song quickly as he heard Carlisle's footsteps on the porch. A few moments later, he heard the door open.

Edward got up and entered the foyer, keeping a distance as Carlisle put away his things.

"Good morning, Edward." Carlisle greeted cautiously.

Edward nodded once, crossing his arms. "Carlisle, I..." He trailed off, looking away from the blond man that he had once considered a friend...maybe he still did, after all, Carlisle had stuck with him through his lowest points that week, teaching him to act civilized and forgiving him when he slipped up. "I want to apologize for the way I've acted – not just today, but ever since I woke up to this new life."

"Edward, you're a new born, you are going to act like this. Please, don't blame yourself for everything that goes wrong." Carlisle had always been quick to forgive, and he began to walk away.

"Just one more thing," Edward spoke up, Carlisle pausing mid-stride to turn around, facing Edward.

"Yes?"

"Earlier when you asked if there was something I wanted to talk about...well, there was." Edward rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

"What is it, Edward?"

"The only reason why I was angry with you last night was because I was reminded of my father."

"Why would that trouble you?" Edward could see that Carlisle was trying very hard to hide the joy at hearing that Edward had said he was reminded of his father because of him. _But then again, _Carlisle thought, _that could have been a bad thing. _

Edward told Carlisle about his biological father, then. He explained that his father had travelled a lot, and there would be weeks at a time where he wouldn't see him. He explained that his father had given him piano lessons and paid for private schooling in hopes that he would make it up to his son for being away so much.

"I'm sorry." Carlisle said sincerely.

"It's not your fault." Edward mumbled; his hands in his pockets as he stared at the floor.

"It's not, however I'm still sorry that your relationship with your father wasn't the best. I promise you, I can relate well to that scenario."

Edward looked up. "You can?" He asked in surprise. Though he could read every thought that passed through Carlisle's mind, he had never heard anything about his human life. "You've never thought about it."

"I don't like to dwell on that time in my life, but I think it's time you heard my story..."

They both wandered into the parlor and settled into the two armchairs. Edward waited patiently as Carlisle began the story of his past, his anger vanishing as he realized someone finally understood how he felt.

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><p><strong>Aww, Edward's coming around, and within a few years they'll be the best of friends! <strong>

**I probably should have mentioned this when I began the story, but feel free to list things you would want to read about in future chapters, and I will try to write them the best I can. **

**As always, reviews are always appreciated, and you'll hear from me again next chapter :)**


	5. Chapter 5 Transformed

**Hey everyone, sorry for the late update...again *sigh* I'm probably going to change my update days from Friday to Sunday...or whenever I have enough free time to actually go on the computer (I've been very busy lately). **

**This chapter is how I imagined Carlisle was transformed into a vampire...not much else I can say about that.**

**As always, reviews make my day :) and enjoy.**

**Oh, and on a side note, I realized that Breaking Dawn comes out in 54 days! Woohoo!**

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><p>1663<p>

Carlisle's POV

The air was cold and damp and fog spilled into the streets as a group of men eagerly prepared to end the lives of the supernatural...everyone but the timid, soft spoken son of the pastor whose duty it was to lead the group, a duty he did not want, but a duty he had agreed to take.

He was reluctant to grab his torch and lead the group through the streets of London, searching for the coven of vampires he had discovered a few days earlier. He wished that his father could have led them...but the pastor was too old to be searching for the demons anymore.

"Farewell, father," he told the old man as he did every time he led a pursuit. He never knew if a night much like this would be his last.

"Be strong, Carlisle." His father said, a hand on his shoulder. "You must vanquish the evil that lurks in London."

Carlisle suppressed a sigh at his father's words and nodded absently. He wanted nothing more than to voice his disagreements. Carlisle was not God; he could not choose who deserved to live and who deserved to perish in the fire. Most of the time, his father had mistaken innocents as witches and werewolves, and Carlisle had been forced to watch as they cried out in agony as they burned at the stake.

Tonight felt different then the other hunts, and Carlisle felt that he must finally voice his opinion.

"Father, I do not think I will be able to hunt these creatures in the future." He said. "I am not meant to do this."

His father frowned, his dark eyebrows furrowing. Carlisle was the exact opposite of his father in every way – in appearance and personality. Where one was quick to judge, harsh, and brash, the other was calm, compassionate, and shy.

"Carlisle," a young man named Thomas stepped aside from the group. "We must go now, or we will never catch them. Are you ready?"

"Aye," Carlisle nodded and gave a quick nod to his father before grabbing his torch and slipping outside, followed closely by the mob.

Women and children glanced anxiously out of windows and doors as they made their way down the street, venturing down to the channel where Carlisle had said he had spotted the coven.

He was terrified and had to force himself onward otherwise he would have surely turned around and went home. Beads of sweat formed on his brow as he got closer and closer to where he had seen the terrifying creatures.

"Down here," Carlisle ordered with a wave of his hand, trying to keep his voice from shaking. "I saw them down here."

"The sewers?" Thomas asked in disbelief. "Why would anyone in their right mind venture into the _sewers_?"

They took their places, hidden partially from view as they waited for the vampires to emerge...and one by one, they finally did.

Even though he had seen them once before, Carlisle was struck again by their beauty. They were handsome creatures who, had they been human, would have surely been treated well.

The creatures spoke in hushed tones in what Carlisle assumed was Latin. One of them let out a low growl, making the hairs on the back of Carlisle's neck stand up.

"Now?" Thomas asked, inching forward.

Carlisle held out an arm to stop him. "Not yet."

One of the vampires called out as if waiting for another creature to respond, and as the creatures were listening, the mob made their attack.

Carlisle took the lead of the pursuit, being the fastest of the men with the advantage of youth. The creature was faster than him though, and it took off through the streets, but Carlisle followed it, unwilling to let it be.

A snarl erupted from the demons throat and it turned suddenly, falling on top of Carlisle. He felt a sharp thrash against his neck before the monster vanished with the others, killing two men and making off with a third. Carlisle could hear the screams echo throughout the streets.

An agonizing burning sensation was travelling throughout his body, beginning at his throat where something had cut him. He reached up to swipe his hand against the flesh and cringed when he felt the blood against the tips of his fingers. He traced the gash quickly, realizing that it was a crescent shape. There was only one possibility that he could think of...he had been bitten.

Acting on instinct to protect himself, Carlisle got up quickly, staggering as the pain of the venom made him feel light headed. He clenched his teeth together, keeping himself from crying out in pain. His teeth were pushing on each other so much that he thought he would lose a tooth from the pressure.

Everything was burning hot around him, and no matter what he did, he could not cool himself down. He cursed those damned creatures silently, trying not to weep. He did not deserve this. He was young, only twenty-three years of age, he hadn't done anything terrible, and if he had done so then he was extremely sorry.

The pain overwhelmed him for a moment, and he fell to his knees, his fingers burying themselves in his hair as they often did when he was flustered or stressed. What could he do? Where could he go? He knew that he couldn't go home; his father would dispose of him at first sight, even if he was his only son.

He gathered as much strength as he could muster and got up with a little more effort than what was normal. He continued down the streets, passing shops and houses and taverns. Some men still roamed the streets at this hour, and Carlisle was careful not to be seen by anyone.

He ducked into an alley and tried walking farther, but the pain brought him to his knees again. He watched with half-focused eyes as the world began to turn sideways, his head connecting with the ground.

_I need to...get out...of here. _He thought. Concentration, no matter how minimal, was now a vigorous task.

He looked around, his head feeling as though it weighed a thousand pounds. He spotted and old cellar at the end of the alley beside an old abandoned shop. He decided that the cellar was the safest place to hide and wait for the pain to go away.

He tried to get to his feet again, but it was of no use, he couldn't even muster the strength to even stand. He crawled towards the cellar, opening the door to reveal the stench of rotting potatoes. He covered his nose and crawled inside, shutting the door behind him.

Burying himself in rotten potatoes, he squeezed his eyes shut, praying that the pain wouldn't last long.

His heart beat faster and faster, the pain reaching new levels of intensity. He waited for the rest of the night, then the following day, then the next night, and the day after that. On the third day, he was eager to die, to rid himself of the horrible pain. Why had he not been taken to Heaven yet? Why was his heart not giving out?

He watched through the cracks of the wood as the sun began to set again, his heartbeat fluttering faster than anything he had ever heard. He closed his eyes as the pain peeked again...and then everything was silent. The pain retreated from his limbs, leaving everything feeling blissfully cool. It was almost too quiet...and then he realized that his heart stopped beating.

And he opened his eyes to his new life.


	6. Chapter 6 Others

**Hello again! This is the second of the three chapters that I'm planning to post today and the first of the two reader requests. I hope I do your idea justice and if not, well...don't review too harshly.**

**This chapter is brief and is about when Edward first met the Denali's. **

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><p>1919<p>

Edward's POV

It had been a little over a year since Edward had been turned. He was amazed at how controlled he had become and was immensely proud of himself that he could venture into town, so long as he didn't get too close to any humans.

It was the first week of fall when Carlisle had asked him if he wanted to travel with him up to Alaska for the week. Edward had agreed eagerly. He loved long runs and he wanted to meet others of his kind. Carlisle had told him about another clan who lived in Denali – they had committed themselves to Carlisle's lifestyle a few years before and maintained a permanent residence. Carlisle had said they had lived there for centuries.

The wind picked up as they made their way throughout northern Canada. Edward had never been outside of the state of Illinois and was surprised at how cold it was up north...not that it bothered him.

They made their way through Yukon before entering Alaska. A fine layer of snow covered the ground as the wind blew briskly against their cheeks.

"Nervous?" Carlisle asked. It was the first time he had spoken in hours.

"Hardly," Edward replied with a smile. "It's about time I meet others of our kind."

Carlisle smiled timidly. "I would have introduced you sooner, but your emotions were so wild as a newborn that I was cautious bringing you anywhere."

Edward smirked. "Nice to know I had your support." Carlisle opened his mouth to apologize but Edward held up a hand. "I'm kidding." Relief flooded Carlisle face. "Jeez, can't you take a joke?"

"Don't forget that I spent periods of time alone. I'm still getting used to being around other people that I don't have to worry about hurting because of what I am."

"Oh..." Sometimes Edward forgot about how lonely Carlisle had been. "Sorry."

"You're forgiven...son." Edward smiled to himself as he heard Carlisle's joyful thoughts. He considered the kind doctor as a father to him now, and it always filled Carlisle's heart with joy whenever he were to refer to him as such.

"So, how much farther?" Edward asked.

"A few more minutes."

They lapsed back into silence...well, for Carlisle that was, for Edward, he still had to listen to every thought that crossed through his father's mind. It was extremely rare that Edward had complete silence around him, and when he did, it always unnerved him.

_Do you see the house? _Carlisle asked him. Edward squinted and saw a small house in the distance. There was smoke coming out of the chimney and Edward almost laughed because of the irony. Vampires were supposed to hate fire as that was the only thing that could destroy them; but instead, these vampires were using it as a source of comfort.

They slowed down as they made their way onto the front porch. Carlisle knocked lightly and gave Edward a reassuring glance.

The door opened and out stepped a beautiful woman with strawberry blond hair. She grinned when she saw Carlisle, pulling him into an embrace. Carlisle quickly returned the hug and Edward knew that his father would have been blushing had he still been human.

"Carlisle, it's been too long." The woman smiled as she pulled away.

"Indeed it has." Carlisle agreed. The woman turned and her eyebrows shot up as she saw Edward. He shifted uncomfortably as her thoughts turned in a less than innocent direction.

"And who is this?" She asked Carlisle. "You never told me you found a companion."

"Tanya, this is my son, Edward." He introduced them. "Edward, this is Tanya."

"It's a pleasure to meet you." Edward said politely, holding out his hand. Tanya ignored it and instead wrapped her arms around his waist. He returned the embrace awkwardly before stepping away.

"The pleasure is all mine," She smiled slyly. Edward ran his fingers through his hair as he dropped his gaze to the floor. Her thoughts were becoming increasingly difficult to handle. Obviously she was more attracted to him than he was of her.

"Edward can read minds." Carlisle said quickly.

"Really?" She asked. Edward hoped that her thoughts would quickly turn to something different because of the embarrassment at being caught, but she did the exact opposite. "Well, come on inside."

They walked into the house, four other vampires gathered around the fireplace in the living room. They all looked up when they entered.

"Carlisle, it's nice to see you again." A man with dark hair smiled; his arm around the waist of a dark haired female.

"Likewise," The two men shook hands.

"Who is this handsome young man?" The dark haired woman asked. Edward was glad that she already had a mate; her thoughts were only interested in knowing Edward as a friend.

"Everyone, this is my son, Edward." Carlisle introduced. "Edward, this is Eleazar, Carmen, Irina, and Kate." He gestured to the man and his mate along with two other blond women.

"It's nice to meet you all." Edward smiled kindly.

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><p>The week grew increasingly harder as he endured Tanya's thoughts twenty-four seven, but he found that he had made a new friend in Eleazar.<p>

Eleazar was a gentle man by nature and had an interesting past having been on the Volturi guard. Edward was surprised that he had left, but understood how easy it was when he had met Carmen, his thoughts showing proof that love between vampires was far stronger than any love between humans.

"Is it rare for vampires to find a mate?" Edward asked as they went out hunting together. They were far enough from the house that no one would hear their conversation.

"Not really, there are plenty of vampires who have found their other half...but there are some who are more content to live alone...I can't see why though..." He trailed off, his thoughts drifting to Carmen for a moment before his mouth turned up into a joking smile. "Are we feeling lonely, Edward?" He teased.

"Of course not," Edward laughed. "Though I do believe that Carlisle needs to find a mate, he's kind of a mess after being alone for so long."

"Yes, he's not quite used to being around others," he agreed absently. "His life would indeed be fulfilled."

"It's hard to imagine, huh?" They both laughed.

"Only time will tell," Eleazar chuckled sadly. "Ah, el amore."

"Speaking of love," Edward said. "Do you think Tanya will ever leave me be?"

"Maybe if you find a mate, yes...but I can't promise you anything." He smirked.

"Well, I better go tell her that her feelings are not reciprocated." Edward sighed. "Wish me luck."

Eleazar laughed. "Good luck...and let her down easy, I don't want any holes in the wall."

Edward laughed as he turned and ran back the way he had come. He entertained the thought of finding someone who could complete him, then smirked at the thought. He was happy by himself, he didn't need anyone...Carlisle on the other hand could use someone to drive his loneliness away and keep him from going mad. But his father only deserved the best, and Edward sure as hell hadn't met anyone who even came close to the caring and compassionate nature of the doctor who had saved him the year before.


	7. Chapter 7 Their Story

**This is the third and final chapter I will be posting today and the second of the two reader requests. This chapter is about Esme's first meeting with the Denali clan, with a little focus on her and Carlisle's story (honestly, I believe that their story is definitely one of the best love stories I've ever heard). The song that Edward plays on the piano in this chapter is "Arabesque" by Claude Debussy- an amazing piece that you should look up.**

**On a side note- I absolutely love Coldplay's new single "Paradise"! And you never know, it might inspire me to write another fanfic :)**

**As always, reviews are greatly appreciated! Enjoy!**

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><p>1925<p>

Esme's POV

She held Carlisle's hand as they ran through the wilderness, Edward leading them to their destination. It had been four years since she had been transformed and now she was positive that she could venture out into the world without doing any harm.

Edward had brought up the Denali clan one morning, and stated that it would be good for Esme to see other vampires. Carlisle had agreed and had taken the week off to accompany them on their journey.

_How much farther, Edward? _Esme asked. They had been running for a few hours and she was getting impatient.

Edward chuckled, "Funny, that's exactly what I asked the first time I met them. Only a few more minutes."

Esme sighed and Carlisle squeezed her hand gently. She looked over at her husband and smiled slightly.

"Do you think they'll like me?" She asked him.

Carlisle looked staggered for a moment before composing himself. "Esme, they'll _adore _you." He reassured, kissing the top of her head.

"Are you sure?" She asked.

"I am positive." He replied, his eyes burning with sincerity.

Edward sighed and Esme imagined that he would roll his eyes. "I don't see how anyone could _not _like you, Esme." He said, and then a few seconds later, "There it is. There's the house."

They approached fast and stopped suddenly on the front lawn. Carlisle turned to her.

"Are you ready?" He asked, taking her other hand in his as well.

"Yes," she answered. He smiled and leaned down, pressing his lips against hers. She smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. Edward cleared his throat just as they door opened.

"Oh my, Carlisle," a woman's voice said, giggling. "I never thought you to be the type who engaged in public displays of affection."

Esme pulled back a bit and looked up at the blond woman. She smiled sheepishly as Carlisle wrapped his arm around her waist, his expression mirroring hers.

"It's nice to see you again, Tanya." He greeted.

"And this must be Esme," the woman smiled, taking a few steps forward toward Edward. He shifted uncomfortably as Tanya moved closer to him, Esme couldn't help but giggle. She had heard about Edward's first meeting with the Denali's.

"Yes, Tanya, I'd like you to meet my wife, Esme." Carlisle said proudly. "Esme, this is Tanya."

"It's a pleasure to meet you." She smiled. "Edward's told me so much about you."

Edward threw her a glare before Tanya smiled back at Edward, his face composing into a polite smile as soon as Tanya turned her head to look at him.

Tanya invited them inside and Carlisle introduced Esme to the four other vampires- Eleazar, Carmen, Irina, and Kate. They all exchanged hugs and handshakes before settling down in the living room.

"Carlisle, you told us you had found your mate, but you never mentioned just how beautiful she was." Carmen smiled as Eleazar wrapped his arm around her waist.

Carlisle smiled. "I tried to explain in my letters, but words just didn't seem to cut it." He gazed down at Esme lovingly.

"We're all happy that you've finally found someone to complete you." Tanya smiled, sliding closer to Edward.

Edward suppressed a sigh, his eyes wandering around the room until his gaze fell on an old upright piano in the corner of the room.

"Oh, Edward, why don't you play us a song?" Esme smiled, noticing his fixation on the instrument.

"Well, um..." He rubbed the back of his neck. "I wouldn't want to interrupt your conversation."

"Oh nonsense, Edward." Tanya said. "You never told us you could play."

"To be fair, the first time I met you, I wasn't very good." He defended.

"Play for us, Edward." Carmen chimed in.

Esme looked up at Carlisle excitedly as Edward heaved himself off the loveseat and strode over to the piano, sitting down on the bench. He did a few scales before diving into a song. It was a very fast song that seemed to require a lot of concentration from Edward, and Esme wondered how the human who had composed such a song was able to play it.

Everyone stared in awe as Edward lost himself in the music. Esme leaned her head against Carlisle's shoulder and he laid his cheek against her head.

"Esme, would you like to join me outside?" Carmen asked quietly.

Esme looked up suddenly. "Oh, of course."

Esme followed Carmen through the house and out onto the back porch. They sat down on the porch swing before Carmen spoke.

"Carlisle has told us so much about you," she smiled. "That's usually all he talks about in his letters with only little detail about the rest of his life and Edward, to Tanya's disappointment."

"Really?" Esme asked.

"Yes," Carmen nodded. "Oh, you don't know how much happier he is now that he's found you. You weren't able to see what he was like before. He's changed so much."

Esme smiled as she thought of Carlisle. "He's definitely changed my life for the better as well."

"You know, you're very lucky that you found your mate as soon as you were turned, it took me years to find Eleazar."

"Well...we weren't together right from the start; it took us quite a while to tell each other how we felt. I think I was in love with him from the day I met him." Esme said thoughtfully.

"Yes, love between vampires is far stronger than human love."

"Actually, we met when I was still human...I was sixteen."

"Really?" Carmen asked looking surprised. "I haven't heard that story."

Esme told her about the time she had broken her leg after falling out of a tree and meeting a certain Doctor Cullen at the hospital in Columbus.

"I just wasn't the same after that." Esme laughed slightly. "He made such an impression on me that I knew I wouldn't be able to love anyone else."

"My thoughts exactly," Carlisle stepped outside. "Though it took me a few years to realize how much I actually loved you after that first meeting."

Carmen was almost bouncing in her seat. "That just might be the most romantic story I've ever heard." Then she sighed in contentment. "You found each other again because you were meant to be together."

Carlisle smiled down at his wife and Esme reached up to kiss him. Carlisle chuckled.

"Edward would like someone to save him from Tanya," he smiled. "He asked me to come out here and get you so you could save him."

"Oh, I'll do it." Carmen laughed. "Tanya will listen to me, especially if I have Eleazar to back me up."

She disappeared and Carlisle turned back to Esme.

"To think that there was a possibility that we wouldn't have found each other again," Esme sighed, resting her head against his chest as he pulled her closer.

"But we did, and we'll never have to leave one another again. I promise." He kissed the top of her head before changing the subject. "So, are you enjoying being around other vampires?"

"Yes, I am." She giggled as she remembered Edward's awkwardness around Tanya. "Poor Edward, though, having to try and avoid Tanya and her thoughts as well."

Carlisle chuckled. "It will definitely take some time for her infatuation to dwindle." They both laughed in harmony before Esme stepped back a bit.

"Why don't we go hunting?" She suggested. "We should bring Edward along so he can have a break from Tanya's thoughts."

"It might be just as hard for him to be around mated vampires, but I'm sure he'll be forever grateful." He smiled wryly before opening the door, motioning for Esme to step in before him.

Esme's thoughts drifted back to her conversation with Carmen. She couldn't imagine a life without Carlisle, and thanked her lucky stars everyday that they had found each other. And despite every shortcoming in her life, she was positive that their story was definitely more romantic than any love story she had ever read.


	8. Chapter 8 Boredom

**Hi everyone, my apologies for another late update...*sigh* This short chapter is something that sprung forward after a very boring day the other day in which I was busy yet still had absolutely nothing to do...**

**I imagine that Rosalie isn't mean and bitter every day, and that there are days where she is at least half enjoyable to be around.**

**Just a reminder that I am taking reader requests if you would like to read about a certain idea.**

**Enjoy :)**

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><p>1995<p>

Rosalie's POV

There were days every few decades or so when the Cullens found that there was absolutely nothing to do- the house was spotless, the cars were fixed, every piece of sheet music had been played, every book read, every bet won, and every show watched.

Those days were the longest and definitely the most excruciating.

No sound echoed through the house, save for the buzz of the electricity lighting the rooms that were in use. The silence was almost eerie. It seemed that on those days, the house actually seemed as though vampires lived there.

Rosalie sighed as she sat on the arm of the couch where Emmett laid, his hands folded behind his head and his eyes closed.

"What are you doing?" Rosalie asked, shaking her head.

"Resting for a while, I hear humans take naps if they're tired during the day, or if they have nothing else to do." Emmett grinned, his eyes still closed.

"Well move over, then." She muttered as she lay down next to him. His arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer.

He opened his eyes for a moment and smiled before kissing her cheek, letting his eyes slip shut again.

Rosalie suppressed a sigh as she looked out the window, watching the rain pour onto the grass.

It was these days when Rosalie found she had too much time to think about...everything. It would seem she would remember everything that she had hoped she would forget. But being what she was had cursed her with perfect memory.

Before she could succumb to her bitterness, Rosalie snuggled closer into Emmett's side. At least she had this piece of happiness. She would never be able to have a family of her own, but she had Emmett, and that was enough for her.

She heard Jasper sigh from upstairs before he turned the page of the book he had read a hundred times all ready.

Edward was in the music room fussing over a new composition he was writing, and Alice was going through her clothes, deciding what to keep and what to throw out.

Carlisle and Esme had gone hunting for the afternoon, and Rosalie was glad that she could take a break from Carlisle's presence.

In the past few decades, she had been able to look past what he had done to her and accepted the fact that no matter what, he would always be present in her life- after all, she had chosen to stay with his family - and had even began to like him...but there were still those days where his constant kindness could get on her nerves, and on those days, Esme would take him hunting with her.

She felt a bit guilty when she thought about Carlisle's oblivious behaviour to her well hidden annoyance, but Esme could always tell when his presence grew tiring to Rosalie, and for that she was grateful that Esme was part of her family.

Speaking of the devil, Rosalie watched as Carlisle and Esme emerged from the trees at the edge of the lawn. Their hair and clothes were soaked, but they were laughing together despite the rain.

They stepped inside a few minutes later, their clothes dripping onto the carpet. Alice was in the room in a flash, shaking her head.

"I just bought you those clothes." She whined. "I wanted you to wear them in public, and you thought it was acceptable to wear them while hunting?" Her voice shot up an octave on the last word. Emmett chuckled as he opened his eyes.

"How were we supposed to know?" Carlisle laughed.

"By consulting me." Alice said, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Well, Alice, we were terribly bored, and we didn't want to sit around all day." Esme smiled as Carlisle put his arm around her. "And we made sure not to return with any stains on the clothes."

Alice eyed them. "And how did you manage to get so wet, I'm sure the rain wouldn't do that much damage."

"Well..." Carlisle looked down at Esme and they both laughed. "We took a swim in the river."

Alice groaned and left the room, mumbling things about having no respect for fashion.

"Well," Carlisle shrugged, glancing at Rosalie and Emmett. "In order to beat boredom, you need to step out of your comfort zone and do something you've never done."

Rosalie watched as they left the room before pulling a grinning Emmett off the couch and dragging him out into the rain.

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><p><strong>As always, reviews are greatly appreciated :)<strong>


	9. Chapter 9 Blessings

**Hey everyone! This is the longest chapter yet! Since tomorrow is Thanksgiving for us Canadians, this chapter deals with the Cullens joining in the festivities! There's a little cooking, a little dancing, a little eating, a whole lot of love and some humour. As always, reviews make my day that much more enjoyable! I'll be back next week with another chapter :) Happy Thanksgiving! **

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><p>1963<p>

Carlisle's POV

The days grew longer as summer turned to fall and September drifted into October. His shifts had begun to seem longer too, and most of the time, it was growing dark by the time he arrived home. They had recently moved to the city of Calgary. It was the first time any of his family had lived outside of the United States, but it was time for a change, and the hunting was more enjoyable the farther north they went.

Carlisle's shift was finishing up as he made his final rounds, checking on patients before heading home. He had taken the weekend off to go hunting with his family. It was six o'clock when he returned to his office, meaning his shift had ended, and he was free of duty.

He grabbed his jacket and doctor's bag, slipping out the door before wandering down the halls. He passed one of his colleagues, smiling politely as they passed.

"See you Tuesday, Cullen." Dr. Andrews smiled as he slipped out of his own lab coat, obviously happy he had the weekend off too. Mark Andrews was probably the friendliest of the doctor's that Carlisle had met in the past few months, and definitely his closest friend at the hospital. He always seemed to have a smile on his face, and had the unbelievable talent of seeing the positive side in absolutely everything.

"I'm working Monday, Mark." Carlisle sighed. The smile never dimmed from Mark's face, and he was already shaking his head.

"No you're not." He patted Carlisle on the shoulder. "They're bringing in a bunch of other doc's to take over our shifts; after all, it's Thanksgiving on Monday."

"I don't mean to sound rude, Mark, but Thanksgiving isn't until November. I think you have your dates mixed up." Carlisle chuckled.

Mark gave him a blank look before he broke out into a grin, chuckling. "Oh yeah, that's right." He said pointing his finger at Carlisle. "You're American; you don't celebrate Thanksgiving in October. You see, Cullen, ever since 1957, Canadians have been celebrating Thanksgiving on the second Monday of October."

"Oh, then I suppose I'll be seeing you on _Tuesday._" Carlisle smiled. "I suppose I should have read up on the traditions."

"Don't worry about it," Mark said with a wave of his hand. "You learn something every day."

"Have a good weekend, Mark." Carlisle smiled, stepping past him.

"You, too, Cullen," He nodded, grinning. "Hey, say hi to the Missus for me, will you?"

"Will do," Carlisle said, bowing his head. "Happy Thanksgiving."

"Happy Thanksgiving."

The cool air was suddenly more welcoming than usual as Carlisle stepped outside. He now had another day off – another day to spend with his family, with Esme...the thought made him grin.

He made his way across the parking lot, sliding into his car happily before turning onto the main road. He was about halfway through town when he decided that he wanted to follow along with the holiday, so he pulled into the parking lot of a grocery store.

He bit his lip as he sat back in his seat, watching the people walk in and out of the store – hands full of brown paper bags as they did last minute shopping. He sighed, wondering what to get. What did humans usually eat for Thanksgiving...?

After a few more minutes of deliberation, Carlisle got out of the car and strode across the asphalt, and into the store.

He thought that he would have been used to the stares by now, but he still felt uncomfortable as he walked into the store. He felt completely out of his comfort zone as he walked into a building filled with human food. People gawked at him, looking like they had gone into a state of shock.

He wandered up and down the aisles, reading every single brand-name and price as he passed. He became unbelievably flustered by the second and wondered for a brief moment how humans could do this on a weekly basis.

He ran his fingers through his hair as he looked at two different brands of spaghetti, rubbing his chin, when a woman walked up to him.

"Excuse me, sir, would you like help with anything?" She asked timidly. Carlisle turned to her and smiled gratefully. God bless her soul. He had thought that she had worked there, but when he turned to face her, he saw that she held a basket in her hand that was filled with food.

"Yes, thank you." He felt himself relax a little as he laughed at himself. "I don't know what to get." He smiled sheepishly. "My wife sent me to get dinner for Thanksgiving and I've seemed to misplace my list." He lied, making up the story on the spot.

"Hmm," she pursed her lips. "Well, I assume you know that you definitely need to buy a turkey."

Carlisle nodded, though in reality he had actually forgotten the bird was a Thanksgiving staple.

"Do you have a pen and paper on you?" She asked. Carlisle's hand slipped into his pocket, pulling out a pad of paper and a pen, looking up at her to continue when he was ready. "Usually along with turkey you have mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce, gravy, corn on the cob, green beans, sweet potatoes, peas, carrots, and apple and pumpkin pie." She said, ticking each one off on her fingers. Carlisle wrote down each one like a mad man, even though he had a perfect memory.

"Thank you." He smiled. "Let's hope I don't lose this list." They both laughed.

"I'll be at the check-out if you need anything," she joked. "I'm Sarah Richards, by the way." She introduced herself, holding out her hand. Carlisle shook it carefully, watching her reaction to his cold skin. She didn't seem to notice.

"I'm Doctor Carlisle Cullen," he smiled kindly. "It was nice meeting you."

She bid Carlisle a happy Thanksgiving and went on her way. Carlisle sighed and looked down at the list. Getting everything would take some time...

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><p>After he had paid and put everything carefully in the trunk of his car, he pulled out of the parking lot, driving through town faster than usual. He glanced at his watch and grimaced, he had been at the store for almost two hours. Esme would be wondering where he was.<p>

He stopped at a flower shop and bought a bouquet of roses before finally driving home. The house seemed more inviting as he pulled into the driveway, Alice bounding outside to meet him.

She was already shaking her head as he got out of the car.

"What did you do?" She asked him. "Why did I see you at the grocery store?"

Carlisle bit his lip to hide the smile that threatened to take over his lips as he opened the trunk, revealing the three brown paper bags.

"You haven't told anyone, have you?" He asked, hoping that she hadn't spoiled his surprise.

"No," she shook her head. "Mostly because I didn't really know myself what you were doing."

"I want to spend Monday like everyone else – celebrating Thanksgiving, and I want to surprise everyone." He whispered, looking around to make sure no one else was in sight.

"Well, I can't promise you they'll be thrilled by your surprise...disgusted maybe...no offense." She said quickly.

Carlisle sighed. "Just help me bring everything into the root cellar, will you?"

Alice sighed but agreed and took one of the bags into her arms as Carlisle grabbed the other two, closing the trunk before leading her to the back of the house, slipping inside quietly and hurrying down the stairs to place everything in the cellar. Carlisle thanked Alice quickly before slipping outside again around to the front to retrieve the bouquet of roses and entering through the front door as if nothing had happened.

Esme greeted him with a warm embrace and a gentle kiss, smiling.

"I'm sorry I'm late, darling." He apologized. "Something came up at the hospital...Doctor Andrews says 'hi.'" He handed her the flowers which earned him another kiss.

Alice sighed audibly from the living room, throwing Carlisle a look. Emmett and Rosalie walked through the back door, Emmett looking like he was about to burst with excitement.

"Can we go hunting now?" He asked. "I want to see how far north we can get by tomorrow morning."

"All right," Esme said, taking Carlisle's hand and leading him towards the back door. Edward and Jasper had appeared in the room as well. "Let's go."

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><p>Like Emmett had anticipated, the hunting had been excellent, and the whole run back, everyone had to hear in detail how he tackled down the grizzly bears that had not begun to hibernate yet, and how he snuck up on a few that had already begun doing so.<p>

They returned on Monday morning, right before the sun had risen.

_Perfect. _Carlisle thought happily. Edward glanced at him in confusion. Carlisle bit his lip, having almost revealed the secret. He had been careful not to think about what he had planned for the day.

Emmett and Jasper remained outside to wrestle, along with Rosalie who was cheering on her husband. Esme had disappeared upstairs to her art room where she would happily spend part of her day painting. Alice and Edward stood with Carlisle in the kitchen. He tapped his fingers against the counter awkwardly, biting his lip.

"So when do you want to reveal the big surprise?" Alice asked quietly.

"Okay, what's going on here?" Edward asked, pinching the bridge of his nose. Carlisle and Alice exchanged a brief glance. He decided that Edward could keep the secret.

_How would you like to help us celebrate Thanksgiving today?_ Carlisle asked.

"What are you talking about?" Edward asked. "Thanksgiving isn't for another month."

_That's what I thought, too, but here, Thanksgiving is actually today. _Carlisle smiled.

"So, are you going to help us or not?" Alice asked impatiently. Edward smirked after a moment, and Carlisle assumed that Alice was telling Edward about the food he had bought on Friday.

"Oh, Carlisle," Edward shook his head before leaving the room. They followed him into the cellar where each of them grabbed a bag.

They spread out the contents of the bags on the counter, Alice and Edward looked amazed yet amused at how much food Carlisle had purchased.

"How on earth did you know what to get?" Edward asked.

"I had a little help from a brave woman." Carlisle chuckled.

They all froze when they heard footsteps on the staircase. It was too late to hide anything, so they stood frozen as Esme walked into the kitchen.

"What is going o-" she froze as she took in the food on the counter. "What is all this?" She asked, sounding more amused than irritated.

"Why don't you explain, Carlisle." Edward chuckled.

"Well, dear," Carlisle moved to Esme's side, wrapping his arm around her waist and gesturing to everything on the counter. "Doctor Andrews told me that Canadians celebrated Thanksgiving today...and I wanted to join in the festivities."

"By cooking a feast we can't even eat?" She asked. "Was that why you were gone for so long on Friday, because you were buying all this?"

"Yes, love." Carlisle admitted, ducking his head sheepishly.

"Well..." she bit her lip as her eyes panned across the counter. "Let's get started then."

They called Emmett, Jasper, and Rosalie inside, and they all began to cook a part of the feast. Emmett had turned on the radio, and the mood lightened noticeably. Carlisle couldn't help but chuckle to himself as he watched six – seven including himself – vampires attempt to prepare a feast that in the end, they wouldn't even be feasting on. It sure was a sight to see.

Nonetheless, they all enjoyed themselves greatly. It really made them seem like a family – watching Emmett and Jasper stuff the turkey, watching Alice cook the vegetables as Edward's brow furrowed as he attempted to bake an apple pie, scratching his head. Rosalie peeled and cut the potatoes and Carlisle mashed them. The only one who seemed comfortable in the kitchen was Esme, and even she hadn't cooked in forty years.

After about nine hours in the kitchen, everything was done and laid out on the dining room table. Alice had covered the table in a red table cloth and had added two large candles. In the center, sat the large turkey, and a few small pumpkins and squash.

"Where did you get those?" Jasper asked, chuckling.

"I can't believe none of you noticed when I slipped out around eight in the morning to snatch a few of these from a nearby pumpkin patch." She giggled.

"All right," Emmett boomed, grinning. "Who's going to be the brave soul and try some of this?"

Everyone looked at each other, no one wanting to take the first bite. They had all tasted human food at least once in their existence as a vampire, and none of them had enjoyed the taste.

"I'll do it." Carlisle sighed, stepping forward. "I was the one who came up with this idea...so I suppose it's only fair."

"I'll do it, too." Edward smirked. "Who knows, it could be good."

Edward and Carlisle looked over everything, deciding which would taste the best.

"How about the apple pie?" Edward suggested.

"You can't have dessert before you eat your supper, dear." Esme giggled.

Edward rolled his eyes. "Does that rule have to apply to these circumstances?"

"How about the turkey, then?" Carlisle suggested, picking up the large knife. He scratched his head, not knowing where to cut first. How long had it been since he had done this...?

"Wait a minute!" Alice exclaimed just as the knife made contact with the bird. Carlisle froze and looked up at his daughter. "None of you move." She ordered before disappearing upstairs. A few minutes later, she joined everyone again, a camera in hand.

She placed the camera on a tripod before turning to everyone. She folded her arms, tapping her fingers against her chin.

"All right, Emmett and Rosalie, you're fine there...Edward, please look like you're enjoying yourself...Esme, stand beside Carlisle there...and..." She pressed a few buttons on the camera before moving to stand beside Jasper. "Smile everyone."

The camera flashed, capturing the moment of festivity and togetherness that Carlisle had sought when he had decided to purchase the food. Alice grinned and nodded towards Carlisle and Edward, saying a silent "go ahead."

Carlisle cut the turkey, cutting two small pieces of white meat for him and his son. Edward took one of the pieces in between two of his fingers and examined it carefully.

"Ready?" Carlisle asked, gulping.

"I...I guess." Edward agreed.

"On three," Carlisle said, raising the piece to his lips. "One...two..." he took a deep breath. "Three!"

They both placed the bird in their mouth, chewing hastily for a few moments before actually concentrating on the taste. Edward was the first to gag, and he grasped onto the table as if it helped him stay standing.

"Don't break my table!" Esme exclaimed, and Edward loosened his grip noticeably.

Carlisle didn't gag, instead his tried to find anything good about the taste...but after a while, he just couldn't bear anymore and he swallowed, breathing deeply like Edward.

"That was...interesting." Carlisle said slowly.

Edward scoffed. "More like disgusting."

Emmett and Jasper grinned, grabbing their own pieces of turkey, gagging like Edward had done. The girls shook their heads and laughed at their husbands' stupidity.

"Why don't we try the pie now?" Emmett suggested.

"You can," Jasper laughed. "I'm not touching any of that."

Emmett shrugged and picked up the entire apple pie, picking up a fork and digging in. "It's actually not that bad," he shrugged, speaking with his mouth full.

Everyone laughed and soon, Edward had sat down at his piano in front of the window, playing cheerful waltzes.

"May I have this dance?" Carlisle asked Esme, bowing.

"Why certainly." She giggled, taking his hand.

They waltzed in the dining room there, twirling and laughing. Alice and Jasper joined in the fun, Rosalie and Edward now playing duets as Emmett danced with his pie...until he had finished it, and took Rosalie's hand, leaving the piano to Edward.

They danced well into the night, leaving the food to become cold as they celebrated Thanksgiving together.

Half a century ago, Carlisle could have never imagined being able to have a companion, let alone an entire family. He would be forever grateful, no matter how bad the days would be. His plan to celebrate the day like humans had worked, and had somehow brought all of them closer than ever, which before would have seemed impossible – they all ready knew each other inside and out.

As Carlisle gazed lovingly at his wife, he knew that the woman in his arms was the greatest thing he had ever been blessed with. He thanked the Lord everyday for blessing him with Esme and he knew that he would never be able to thank God enough, no matter how long he existed.

Thanksgiving would be different in the Cullen house from then on – Carlisle vowed that every year, he would make sure that they would all be together to share in the festivities and count their many wonderful blessings.

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><p><strong>Sooo, what'd you think? Review's are always appreciated! And again, Happy Thanksgiving!<strong>


	10. Chapter 10 Annoyance

1933

Rosalie's POV

"Extra extra, read all about it!" Edward sounded like a newsboy as he tossed the Sunday paper onto the coffee table. "Rosalie Hale has been reported missing for the past few days." Edward sighed, eyeing the newest member of the family.

Rosalie scowled at him as Carlisle took the paper, quickly reading the article. He sighed and handed it to Esme who scanned through it; everyone was frowning.

"I told you it was a bad idea to change someone who was so well known." Edward told his father. Rosalie hissed, though she did agree with Edward that it had been a bad idea on Carlisle's part. She would rather be dead than one of them.

"It doesn't seem like anyone is suspicious of us," Carlisle replied calmly. It annoyed Rosalie to see that he didn't seem worried at all by the situation.

"They'll be looking for her for _ages,_" Edward said. "They won't stop until they find _daddy's little girl._" He sneered.

He had crossed the line. Rosalie got up and shoved him across the room before anyone could stop her. Edward flew back, crashing through the window and out onto the grass. He got up and dusted himself off, rolling his eyes.

"Honestly, Carlisle, you couldn't have changed someone who was a little nicer," he muttered as he walked through the hole he had just made. "Don't worry, Esme, I'll fix that as soon as I can."

Esme gave him a slight smile before she sighed and turned her attention back to the article. Rosalie huffed and sat back down – Edward deserved it.

"Anyway, it's a shame that no one seems to suspect that _mongrel _is a suspect." Edward growled. "Honestly, there are too many horrible people in this world." Rosalie expected Edward to say something more about those terrible people, or say that he had decided to try and kill them all...but to Rosalie's disappointment, all he did was shake his head and sit down on the couch. "So, chief, what's the plan?" Edward asked Carlisle.

Carlisle seemed to deliberate for a split second. "Honestly, it doesn't seem like it is much of a problem for us, as long as we don't act any different from...before. We only have a year or two left in Rochester. I suppose all we can do is wait and see how things play out."

Rosalie's indifferent mask faltered for an eighth of a second before she composed herself again. She couldn't imagine leaving Rochester; she had lived there all her life. She had grown up there, and had formed friendships and had made so many memories there that leaving it seemed impossible...though it was also the place where she had died, and that was reason enough for her to want to leave.

"So that's it?" Rosalie asked, laughing without humour. "We're just going to wait and see what happens? What are we going to do about my family, about my friends, about _Royce?_ What are we going to do about _all _of this?"

"There is nothing we _can _do." Carlisle sighed. Esme took his hand and looked up at him. They looked as though they were comforting each other without physically or verbally doing anything. It looked strange to Rosalie.

"What about Royce?" She asked again. "I think we should be entitled to ending his life."

"That is no way to act." Carlisle replied quickly. This was something else that Rosalie hated about Carlisle – he hated anything that had to do with violence – so much so that he was even reluctant to end someone's life who had ended another's.

"You really don't understand, do you?" Rosalie shook her head before leaving the room, unable to look at him for another minute.

She stepped through the remains of the wall that Edward had broken and ran to the edge of the property, slipping into the forest.

How had her perfect life turned into such a nightmare? What had she done to deserve this?

She thought back on her murky human life and shuddered. She had been so foolish and shallow...but she was not ready to admit that to anyone.

Maybe she had been turned into a vampire for a purpose...maybe she had been saved in order to end that miserable excuse for a human's life.

Of course, Carlisle didn't condone violence...but would he really be all that angry if he was not associated with it in any way? She could sneak out one night and track down those bastards who had killed her.

"Rosalie?" Edward's voice called.

"Go away; I don't want to look at you." She hissed. Edward chuckled as he came into view. "I mean it." She growled, turning away and folding her arms.

"As much as you think you want to kill me, I probably don't annoy you as much as Mr. No Violence back at home." He jerked his thumb in the direction of the house. "Personally, I think you should end that bastard, Royce."

"You do?" She peeked at him from the corner of her eye.

"Yeah, I killed quite a few of those kinds of people a few years ago." He said, sounding unnerved. "Though I regret leaving Carlisle and Esme and killing so many people...but I think it's only right to kill the one who killed you."

Rosalie chuckled inside – technically, Carlisle had killed her, too.

"But there will be absolutely none of that," Edward growled, hearing Rosalie's thoughts. "You haven't known Carlisle long enough to know that he is a good man with only the best intentions. In a few years, I guarantee you will come to like him and find a purpose in this life."

"All right, I will." Rosalie decided. "I'm going to find Royce and his friends and end them and there's nothing Carlisle can do about it."

"But you have to tell him you're doing it."Edward said before walking deeper into the forest, disappearing in seconds.

Rosalie sighed and looked back in the direction she had come. She didn't want to have to speak to Carlisle. What if he tried to stop her? Of course, he couldn't be able stop no matter how much she tried.

She decided that she could do it quickly and begin her mission as soon as the words had come from her mouth.

She sprinted back into the house and up to Carlisle's office, barging in. He sat behind his desk, scribbling furiously on a piece of paper.

"I'm leaving for a few days to kill Royce." She said quickly. "I won't be too long."

The way she had said those words – almost cheerfully – had made Carlisle's mouth fall open, rendering him speechless. She smirked before she sprinted back down the stairs and out into the front yard.

She had already come up with her plan by the time she made it into the forest.

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><p><strong>As always, reviews are always appreciated.<strong>


	11. Chapter 11 Remembrance

**Hey Everyone, sorry I haven't updated in the past few weeks. This will probably be my last chapter in a while as I want to focus on my other story _Paradise. _This chapter is just about one Remembrance Day with Carlisle and Esme during the time that Edward is gone. Since he had wanted to join WWI, I thought this would have reminded them of him. Enjoy!**

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><p>1928<p>

Esme's POV

The train lurched on through the country side, the windows foggy from the cold outside. The lake water churned roughly in the distance. Carlisle and Esme had been visiting the city of Toronto when they had decided to take the train east, following the coast of Lake Ontario. It was late morning – a cold, overcast day in November.

The atmosphere outside seemed depressing and dreary, yet oddly beautiful as the train rumbled on through small towns, fields and forests. Esme sighed and looked away from the window, turning her attention to the man opposite of her. He smiled; his blonde hair seemed to almost glow in the contrast of his dark suit and the dimly lit cabin.

There was something else that caught the eye. Pinned on the lapel of his jacket above his heart was a bright red poppy. The flower was a reminder of what day it was – Remembrance Day. Of course, Esme was wearing one too; everyone was. It was a way of saying that they would remember all those who died during the gruesome Great War.

The train came to another stop, people standing and making their way through the cabins.

"Would you like to get off here?" Carlisle asked her.

"Sure." She nodded, glancing out the window at the landscape. "It's very beautiful."

"Second to the sight before me," he said sincerely, standing up and offering her his arm.

She rolled her eyes and slipped her arm through the crook of his as they strolled through the cabin and stepped out onto the platform. Carlisle placed his hat on his head as the cold air blew fiercely, copying what other men did as they got off the train.

"Where should we go?" Esme asked.

Carlisle looked around, pursing his lips. "Why don't we go exploring, love?" He suggested. She smiled as he led her off the platform and onto the road. Carlisle looked around quickly to make sure no one would see them before slipping into the forest.

The wind died down as they ventured deeper into the confines of the forest, yellow leaves falling to the ground after giving up on holding onto the branches.

The ground began to incline slowly and they wandered up a large hill, the trees becoming more spaced out as they neared the end of the forest.

The wind froze their cheeks as they stepped out of the forest, onto of the hill. It looked out onto the fields below, the train tracks visible in the distance along with Lake Ontario. It was a simple yet magnificent view.

"Where are we exactly, Carlisle?" Esme asked, looking up at her husband who seemed to be mesmerized by the landscape.

"Somewhere between Oshawa and Clarington," he said absently. Realization dawned on his face and he slipped his hand into his jacket pocket, pulling out his old pocket watch. "Eleven O'clock." He announced, taking his hat off his head before falling silent. Esme took his hand in his hers and they bowed their heads, eyes closed as they remembered all those who had passed because they had been fighting for their country.

The silence was rather soothing as the two stood together on top of the hill – the only sounds being the faint churning water and the whistling wind rustling the leaves. The pleasant smell of smoke from a fireplace was present in the air and Esme smiled to herself. There was no sign of human movement anywhere; everyone had stopped to pay their respects. It was amazing to think that millions of people were standing silent.

The two minutes passed quickly and Carlisle raised his head, gazing out onto the distant water.

"At the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month," Carlisle murmured, placing his hat back on his head before brushing his fingers against the poppy lightly.

"Did you know anyone who went over to fight?" Esme asked.

"Yes, many," He nodded. "Many of my colleagues joined – my patients too, as soon as they got better. I was probably the only man my...physical...age who didn't join. It killed me, but I knew I couldn't – I would put our kind's secret in too much danger." He frowned, his expression sad. "Many of them dreamed of becoming war heroes..." He trailed off, his face contorting as if he was about to cry.

Esme guessed the turn of his thoughts. "He'll be back soon." She remembered how Edward had wanted to join the war. He had had such great expectations of it, only to be crushed once he had fallen ill. Of course, he had known a few years later just how terrible the reality of war was.

"Yes," Carlisle agreed, because that hope was the only thing that could keep them going. "He will be back soon."

Esme stepped in front of him, gazing into his eyes. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. "Don't worry," she whispered before kissing him. His arms wrapped around her waist, holding her close as if he feared that she would leave him, too.

They held each for a long time, holding onto the only thing that kept them from going insane. They pulled away at the same time, turning to look out onto the landscape.

"In Flanders fields, the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below...

We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved, and were loved, and now we lie

In Flanders Fields...

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands, we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields..."

Carlisle recited with perfect clarity, his eyes distant, as if he saw something far different from the landscape in front of him. He smiled and looked down at Esme. "A Canadian physician wrote that poem after he had attended the funeral of a good friend who had died. He wrote it while sitting on the back of an ambulance. His name was John McCrae – Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae."

"What happened to him?" Esme asked, picturing a young man scribbling down the words of the poem while a battle raged behind him.

"He died of pneumonia." Carlisle laughed without humour and shook his head. "The war was almost over and he could have made it had he not contracted the illness."

"It just goes to show how fragile humans are. He will never be forgotten, though. People will remember him."

"Yes," Carlisle said absently, biting his lip.

"Edward is not human; he can take care of himself." Esme reassured.

"As can we," Carlisle replied. "Edward wouldn't want us to worry so much."

"No he wouldn't...now let's go, I don't want to miss the next train." Esme tugged on his hand.

Carlisle smiled, following her back the way they had come.

Esme knew that worrying over Edward wouldn't make him come back. She had to trust that he would return someday. The alternative didn't seem possible. Still, she had to remind herself that her son was safer than any of the boys who had been sent off years ago.

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><p><strong>Reviews are always appreciated- let me know what you think :)<strong>


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